Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-02-19
NEW PUBLICATIONS.

of the English language, and also some of
the choicest productions of authors, living
and dead. 1t is by Rev. w. II. Milburn,
d. D., Chaplain ofthe House of Represent
atiyes, at Washington, and known far and
wide as the Blind Preacher" OF such
| books there have been thousands, and in
great many cases they have fallen more
or less short of their aim. In this case Mr.
| Milburn has carefully avoided any extrav-
agance of attempt The book is all it pre-
| tends to be and more. Pieces have neither
been included nor excluded because popu-
lar or unpopular, but what appears has
been, it is evident, chosen for the purity OF
the thought it expresses, the elegance of
style, and the striking manner in which it
illustrates the schools of the writers. The
setting out of an intellectual feast by choos-
ing from myraid of dishes, is one of the
most difficult of tasks, and he best accom-
plishes it who addresses the best tastes and
invites trained and unframed appetites
alike, to the most nourishing and delicious
food. There is such a thing as read
ing too much, and that is the case
of those who attempt to read nearly all the
leading and standard poets and essayists.
Some have accomplished 1.-THE million
cannot and should not. To popularize
good literature, it must be given in homeo-
pathic portions, and with homeopathic fire.
quency. Books, good books, so far from
being rare are too plentiful, in one sense;
for there is confusion in the mind of the
general reader how best to select Such
collections as this before US will not only
aid him to wise discrimination, but will
very largely lessen the need for any at
tempt to possess himself of all that he may
desire. For here are the gems of the
standard poets and manvs of the richest
productions in prose also great array of
rare good things by writers numbered by
the many score, whose books only the few
can procure because of the great number,
and whose literary achievements in
great many cases have been crowned
by only very few real gems. Here.
in Mr.. Milburn's compilation, we find
not only the brilliancy of Moore, the ro-
nance of Byron, the deep sentiment of
Burns, the wit of SAKE, the loftier flights of
Tennyson, the best from the pens of Hogg,
Shelley, Jonson, Milton, Herrick, Cow
tier, Montgomery, Southey, and long list
of great geniuses, but sparkling gems from
lesser lights, whose effulgence has not been
world wide, such as Taylor Weir, Charlotte
Smith. Barbauld, Marston, Trowbridge,
Eastman, Realf, Boxer, Logan, Proctor
Bushnell and hundred others, not to men,
ton some of the richest treasures of song,
the authorship of which is lost in
that mystery Anonymous" Here, too,
are to be found some of the most choice
prose from such as Heber, Lytton, Dickens,
Thereau and Punshon. 1t is only to be
regretted that the prose selections are
few, the greater number of the pieces
beine. from the poets. AS all such books
tend to create an appetite fof good
reading, and supply to many all they can
ha nf oh frIra
prove them-and few, if any, have we seen
as charming as this volume. 1t treats of
home and fireside, love and friendship, ma
ture, country life, patriotism, camp and
battlefield, narrative, persons and places,
sentiment and reflection, grief and pathos,
the nobility of life, the better land, domes-
ITCHY, wit. humor, etc. -Four hundred
spirited illustrations enrich the volume,
which is supplemented by brief biograph-
les of authors. The volume is less in size,
but bears a close resemblance to THE
Golden Treasury of Poetry and Prose" but
is, by reason of compactness, placed within
the reach of many who do not feel able to
purchase the larger work. 1t is from the
press of the n. d. Thompson Publishing
Company. New York and st. Louis, is in
troduced on this coast by Dewey & Co.,
San Francisco, and for Sacramento w. h.
Lyon has the agency,
Ben Perley Poore is too well known to
| need introduction at our hands. He is not
| strong, but an interesting and witty
| writer. His memory is one of the most
| wonderful Of storehouses of events in the
| lives of prominent men of the century
who have been related. one way and an
other, to the nation and the national me-
| tropolis. His volumes, "Perley's Reminis-
cences of Sixty Years in the National
| Metropolis" at once constitute graphic
| narrative of men and their doings, political
| byways and methods, women of society
and their influence, Congressman, Senators,
Presidents. Secretaries. and other officials,
and an insight into Washington society life
and official closets. 1t fairly runs over with
good portraits and some of the most gro
| tesque and amusing of illustrations, and of
| anecdote and dramatic incident it is a
perfect treasury of stirring narrative. 1t
illustrates as no other has, the wit, humor,
genius, eccentricities, jealousies, ambitions
| and intrigues of statesmen, diplomats, rep
resentatives of foreign powers, and officials
at Washington. The recital is easy, rapid
witty, and draws aside the curtain from
much of public and private life. The book
will be revelation to most OF this gener-
alton, and possesses value in one respect
that no other does-thousands will read it
and be introduced to the inner political and
social life of the long ago who would never
learn much of it from any other source. 1t
| is indeed, one of the most entertaining
narratives of life in Washington ever pro-
duced, and has the merit of being written
in vein that keeps the reader in a merry
humor 1t is in two fine large octave vol
umes, the first of which is just out, from
the press of Hubbard Brothers, Philadel-
phia, and A. l.. Bancroft & Co, San Fran
cisco, and is being canvassed for by
Thomas Goth, who is sole agent for Sac
| ramento.
| Home Life" is a new illustrated
monthly magazine published by the
Home Life Publishing Company, New
York, and makes strong appeal for popu-
lar favor. 1t is similar in appearance to
Leslie's Illustrated Weekly 1t is published
| on fine paper, its engravings are good, and
its literature-which is largely stories by
| well-known authors-is presented in a
neat typographical appearance. Price 81 a
year. There is also published as COM
panion of " Home Life a much smaller
magazine, issued monthly, named 1.-The
Pearl" 1t is sixteen-page story paper,
profusely illustrated, and furnished by the
same company at % cents per year.
We have from Houghton, Mifflin & Co.,
Boston, The United States Official Postal
Guide for January, 1887, which is published
by authority OF the Postmaster G General. 1t
is a work of almost indispensable value to
business and professional men, containing
as it does all information as to postal
matters and regulations, domestic and
foreign, names of all offices in the United
States alphabetically and by counties and
States. There are many new features in
the present work which renders it even
more complete than former editions. Price
81 so per year. with supplement of changes
each month.
The New York Worlds almanac for 1887
is at hand, and is very valuable hand
book of politics and general information
In political data it is especially full and
almost indispensable. 1t gives political
[ record for 1896 of all States and Territories